Can India Become the World’s Next Mediation Hub? CJI Surya Kant Says Yes

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has said India has all the potential to emerge as a global centre for mediation, pointing to the country's expanding economy, evolving legal framework and growing institutional capacity to resolve complex disputes.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the International ADR Conference 2026, organised by the Maadhyam International Council for Conflict Resolution, the CJI said India must move beyond merely having adequate dispute-resolution infrastructure and develop a sophisticated system capable of keeping pace with its rapid economic growth.

He highlighted the Mediation Act, 2023, which for the first time created a standalone statutory framework for mediation as an alternative dispute-resolution mechanism. According to Kant, Indian institutions are increasingly equipped to handle complicated and cross-border mediations with the confidence expected by international parties involved in commercial disputes.

The CJI credited the sustained efforts of the judiciary and court-annexed mediation centres for helping build this ecosystem. He urged the legal fraternity to strengthen the existing alternative dispute-resolution framework and help India become one of the world's leading destinations for mediation.

Kant also underlined the distinctive nature of mediation, saying its foundation was deeply psychological. He noted that data indicated voluntary compliance with mediated settlements can reach as high as 90 per cent, significantly exceeding the outcomes often achieved through traditional adjudication.

Unlike litigation and arbitration, mediation focuses on finding solutions that parties themselves can accept and build upon, he said.

The CJI also pointed to the transformation of mediation in recent years. What was once associated with informal settings and reluctant compromises has evolved into a professionalised system involving trained mediators, specialised case managers, encrypted digital records and faster authentication of settlement agreements.

The growth of online dispute resolution platforms, he added, has further expanded the possibilities by enabling parties located on different continents to participate in mediation without being physically present in the same place.